To quote Walter Benjamin, 'These arcades, a recent invention of industrial luxury, are glass-roofed, marble-panelled corridors extending through whole blocks of buildings, whose owners have joined together for such enterprises. Lining both sides of the corridors, which get their light from above, are the most elegant shops, so that the arcade is a city, a world in miniature, in which customers will find everything they need' (From The Arcades Project' 1982).
Royal Arcade, Melbourne is one such arcade. Completed in May 1870, it was Melbourne's first arcade and the longest standing arcade in Australia. More of its history with historical photos: https://royalarcade.com.au/history/
It's a different city at the moment, still in recovery.
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